Primer for internal-combustion engines.



H. KOCOUREK.

PRIMER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 17. I917- m. m j 17 .OE 0v um 1 m mm w 0 1 1 n .w1% e2 47 K m P F H. KOCOUREK.

PRIMER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGtNES.

' APPLICATION r1151) MAR. 17, 1911..

Patented J 11110 25, 1918 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY KOCOUREK, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO LEANDER H. LACHANGE AND MARTIN TAYLOR, ADMINISTRATORS OF JOHN K. STEWART,

DECEASED.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY KocoUnEK, the above-named petitioner, acitizen of the United States, residing at Jersey City in the county ofHudson and State of ew Jersey, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Primers for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an improved construction ofa device for priming an internal combustion engine to insure its promptstarting. It consists in the elements and features of construction shownand described. as indicated in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing a portion of an automobile engineinclud: ing the intake manifold and carburetor, equipped with thisinvention.

Fig. 9. is an axial section of a pipe-fitting in the liquid fuel .linefrom the fuel containcr to the manifold.

Fig. 3 is a section at the line 3-3 on Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an axial section of a pipe-fitting by which the fuel supplyline is connected with the manifold.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modification consisting inemploying an independent container for the liquid fuel supply forpriming.

Fig. 6 is a partly sectional view of a further modified form, sectionbeing made vertically at the axis of the container.

Figs. 7 and 8 are sections at parallel trans-axial planes of a two-ductturn-cock valve, for shifting the connection of the primer supply linefrom the low-level main tank to the auxiliary container positioned forsupplying by gravity.

Fig. 9 is a detail axial section of the discharge end portion of the airforce pump which injects the priming charge.

The drawings show the engine intake manifold, A, and the carbureter, B.C is a low-level liquid fuel container from which the liquid fuel islifted by a familiar form of vacuum feed device so called, shown at O toa level for supplying the carburetor by gravity. A pipe line connectsthe liquid fuel container C of the vacuum feed device with the manifold,A. Said pipe line comprising a pipe D, and plural-branched pipe PRIMERFOR IN TERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 25, 1918 Applicationfiled March 17. 1917.

Serial No. 155,389.

fitting E, and a second pipe F. G is a pipe fitting for connecting thepipe F with the manifold. In said liquid fuel pipe line there is a checkvalve H, which opens for flow from the container, 0 toward the manifold,and is seated by reverse flow or pressure. This check valve H isconveniently located in the pipe fitting E. From said liquid fuel pipeline and most conveniently from the pipe fitting E, there is an off-takeE leading to the carbureter, this off-take being anterior to the checkvalve II, that is between the container C and said check valve. In saidoff-take E there is a check valve J opening for flow into the carbureterand seating by reverse flow or pressure. K is a force pump mountedWithin convenient reach of the driver on his seat, and, mostdesirably,as shownupon the dash board L. M is a pipe line from the pumpK, leading to the pipe line which connects the fuel container C with themanifold, and communicating with said pipe line at a point between thecheck valve H and the manifold, said communication being mostconveniently effected at the branch E of said fitting E; and forcompactly providing for seating the valve H in said fitting anterior tothe connection of the pipe F with said fitting, and adapting said valveto seat by gravity in the proper direction, and to be positionedanterior also to the pump connection by the pipe M, said fitting E ismade of the form shown in Fig. 2, having the branch for connecting thepipe D, and the branch for connecting pipe F, off-set vertically fromeach other, with the seat for the valve I-I between them, and the branchE extending up vertically from said seat. In the fitting G, whichconnects pipe F with the manifold, there is provided a check valve N,which opens for flow into the manifold, and serves incidentally toprevent back firing in the priming duct.

As shown in Fig. 3 this valve would also be opened by adequate suctionfrom the manifold, but such opening is resisted by a coiled spring P,which is designed to be strong enough to hold the valve seated againstany suction liable to arise in the manifold. I

The pump, K, has an air inlet check valve 72 which is designed to allowthe pump cylinder to fill with air on the withdrawing stroke of thepiston, which, but for such air inlet would be a suction stroke. Whenthe pump is to operate for suction, this check valve-is made movableover a limited portion of the length of the pump cylinder near itsdischarge end. This is efiected by mounting the check valve 72 on asleeve K which is telescoped on the outside of the pump cylinder thelatter being perforated at 70 at a strip of its area extendinglongitudinally a small portion of the length of the cylinder,

and as wide as the diameter of the inlet port of the check valve 70 Thesleeve has a stem K which extends along the pump cylinder and under aguide loop I0 and at the end is hooked at 70 for manipulation to slidethe sleeve on the cylinder. When the sleeve is at the extreme positiontoward the discharge end of the cylinder the valve port is registeredwith the extreme perforations k which are uncovered at the firstwithdrawing movement of the piston, so that the pump producessubstantially no suction; but when the sleeve is withdrawn toward theend of the cylinder so that the valve port registers with perforationsfarther removed from the discharge end, the withdrawing movement of thepiston produces suction until the piston passes the perforations whichare registered with the valve port through the sleeve; and thus theportion of the pistons withdrawing stroke which operates for produc-'fold connection of said pipe, and also higher than the highest possiblelevel of the liquid in the container, that isto say, higher than theliquid can rise by gravity-supply from the container. Similarly, forthe. purpose of the air charge to follow the liquid fuel charge, thepipe M, together with the fitting E, and part of the pipe F, form a loopdrooping lower than thecontainer. It will be seen that the amount of theliquid fuel charge is the amount contained at the commen'cenient'of theforcing "stroke in this depending loop, and this amount willfbe theentire capacity of'said loop below the liquid level of the container Cfrom which said a loop will be filled by gravity; 'and' this quantitywill therefore vary according to the height of the liquid supply in thecontainer G Any considerable variation "is undesirable and suchvariation may, be substantially prevented if the pump is adapted ;todraw, in "its retracting stroke by suction from the container to anextent corresponding properly to the depression of the liquid level inthe container G below the maximum height; for the liquid thus drawn willbe added on the forcing stroke of the-pump, to the liquid which saidloop of the conduit Will have'received by gravity from the con tain'er.Therefore when the container is substantially full the sleeve K will beadjusted so that the pump will produce no suction; but when the level inthe container is low, the sleeve may be pulled up, and the pump therebycaused to suck out of the container enough liquid to supply thedeficiency in the loop.

In any event, when the pump piston is retracted back of the air inletport, the pump cylinder, becomes air-filled, and on the succeedingforcing stroke the air which is trapped behind the liquid insaid loopwill be compressed to a tension sufficient to overcome the resistance ofthe spring P, which holds the valve N closed until that tension isreached; and thereupon, the spring yielding and the valve opening, theair -which has been trapped ahead of the liquid in the loop, and whichhas been compressed toithe same tension as the air trapped behind theliquid charge, and which is furthermore highly charged with gasolenevapor, will be discharged forcibly into the manifold, followed by theliquid fuel'charge. The diameter of the pipes M and F being quite smallusually not more than 5, and the pipe with all loops and bends being ofconsiderable length, the gasolene will be delayed by the friction and byits inertia, with the result that the compressed airbehind the gasolenewill be injected into and through the gasolene, thoroughly aerating thelatter, so that it will be injected into the manifold in a finelysubdivided condition, that is substantially as an explosive mixture.

In view of the adaptation ofthe pump: by

means of theadjustability of the air inlet valve, to produce suction fora substantial portion of the retracting stroke, the device iscapable oftaking the priming supply from the usual low level main supply tank 0,and the-priming device may serve, in any emergency which may arisefromany failure in the operation of the vacuum device, or o'f thepressure on the main tank, when that is mode of feed employed, not onlyto start the engine, but to operate'it indefinitely by repeatingvtheimpulses of the pump'by hand. To facilitate "supplying the primer fromthe main low level tank, the pipe 0 which leads from main low tank C tothe vacuum feed device, is provided with a connec'tion with the pipe 1),by which the vacuum device as a whole including the container. C may becutout, leaving the 'primin'gdevice in direct connection with the mainlow level tank. This connection consists of a ill double-duct turn-cockvalve whose body C is connected with the pipe member 0 and with the twomembers 03 and d of the pipe D, which pipe members lead respectivelyfrom the container C toward the manifold. At one position of turn cockspindle or plug C the liquid passage is open from the pipe (Z, throughthe port-way c of the plug to the pipe member 0 leading to the vacuum device, and from the pipe member I), through the port-way 0 to the pipe alBy a quarter-turn of plug C the port-way 0" registers at one end withthe pipe 03 and at the other end with the port way a in the body C ofthe turn cock, which portway 0 connects at the other end with the pipe(Z and by same quarter turn of the plug the portway 0 becomes closed atone end, so that communication out of the container C is cut off.

In Fig. 5 the same priming means is shown, provided with a container forthe priming liquid entirely separate from and independent of thecontainer which supplies the carbureter. This independent container C isdesigned to be filled from time to time in any convenient manner, as bypouring through the filling mouth 0, which is closed by a plug the plugbeing provided with a small air vent 0 In all essentials this structureoperates in precisely the same manner as that already described, and thecorresponding parts are similarly lettered.

In Fig. 6, showing a further modified form, the independent container isillustrated as having a glass body, S, bound between a metal cap, S anda base S The pipe ill, from the pump (not shown in this figure butunderstood to be the same as in Fig. 5) extends into a stuffing box S inthe top of the cap S and has a continuation M, extending from the nippleor body 8 of the stuffing box through the chamber of the container intothe base 8*, where it connects with a duct and check valve chamber 8 atthe lower part of which there is a seat for the check valve H,corresponding to the similarly indicated check valve of the form shownin the other figures. Below this check valve the duct 8 connects withthe duct 8, also formed in the base S and leading from the bottom of thecontainer cavity; and above the check valve said duct connects with duct8 also formed in said base, and leading out through a nipple S, whichterminates the base and to which is connected the pipe F, correspondingto the similarly indicated pipe of the other figures, and leadingsimilarly to the manifold or engine cylinder intake, where its dischargeis controlled by the spring resisted valve N (not shown in this Fig. 6but understood to be the same as in the figures where it is shown). Theclosure S for the filling mouth 8 in the cap S has a small air vent 8 topermit the container to empty by gravity; the pipe N has a like air ventn to relieve the conduit extending thence to the manifold of thepressure therein after each discharge under pressure of the pump intothe manifold. This air vent n is not large enough to affect appreciablythe air forcing capacity of the pump.

As an economy of construction the pipe, N, is made to serve as theclamping means for binding the cap and base tightly against the oppositeends of the glass body, S, with cork gaskets S S interposed. This iseffected by threadin the lower end of the pipe into the duct, 2 of thebase, and the upper end into the stuffing box nipple, 8 or otherwisemaking it rigid with said nipple so that the nut, S, on the outside ofthe nipple upon being screwed down onto the top of the cap will clampthe parts together.

I claim 1. In an internal combustion engine, in combination with theintake to the cylinder or cylinders, a liquid-fuel container, a ducttherefrom to said intake; means for trapping a charge of liquid fuel insaid duct between two charges of air in the duct; means be yond the aircharge which is beyond the liquid fuel charge for resisting thedischarge of the contents into said intake, adapted to yield to permitsuch discharge upon a predetermined pressure being reached, and meansbehind the other air charge for producing such pressure.

2. In an internal combustion engine, in combination with the cylinderintake, a liquid fuel container; a duct which receives liquid fuel fromsaid container and which is connected for discharge into the cylinderintake; valve for controlling said discharge and a spring which holds itseated, adapted to be opened by predetermined pressure; an air forcepump having its air inlet inde pendent of any liquid-fuel-holding cavityof the device; a pipe therefrom which discharges air into said ductbehind the liquid fuel therein, and a check valve in said duct betweenthe container and the pump discharge connection to the duct.

3. In an internal combustion engine, in combination with the intake tothe cylinder or cylinders, a liquid fuel supply container, a conduitfrom said container to said intake; a check valve in said conduitseating against back flow toward the container; an air force pumpdischarging into the conduit between said check valve and said intake,said pump having a free air inlet independent of any liquid-fuel-holdingcavity of the device for filling with air in its retracting stroke; saidconduit extending beyond the pump connection therewith above the highestlevel to which it is filled with liquid fuel from the container, wherebyan air space is obtained in said conduit beyond the liquid fuel suppliedthereto; and means beyond said air space for resisting discharge fromthe conduit into the intake, adapted to yield upon a predeterminedpressure.

4. In an internal combustion engine, in combination with the intake tothe cylinder or cylinders, a liquid fuel container; a conduit therefromto the intake comprising a part below and part above the level of thecontainer; a duct discharging into the conduit at a point below lowliquid level of the container in a direction for forcing the liquidtherein toward said intake; means for applying air pressure through saidduct, and means in the conduit beyond the high liquid level of thecontainer for resisting said pressure, adapted to yield upon apredetermined pressure to permit the discharge into the intake at thatpredetermined pressure.

5. In an internal combustion engine, in combination with the intake tothe cylinder or cylinders; a liquid fuel container; a conduit therefromto the intake comprising a loop which droops below the containerconnection thereof, and a reverse loop or gooseneck which extends abovethe level of the in take connection; an air force pump which dischargesinto said drooping loop, and a check valve in said conduit back of saidpump discharge therein seating against back flow toward the container.

6. In an internal combustion engine, in combination with the intake ofthe cylinder or cylinders thereof, a liquid fuel container, a conduittherefrom to said intake; a check valve in said conduit seating againstbackflow toward the container; an air force pump discharging into saidconduit beyond the check valve, the container having in its base thecommunicating portions of said conduit and the pump dischargeduct,including the check valve chamber and seat; the portion of the pumpdischarge duct antecedent to the check valve chamber being extendedthrough the container for connection with base above the check valve.

7. In an internal combustion engine, in combination with the intake ofthe cylinder or cylinders thereof, a liquid fuel container; a conduittherefrom to said intake; a check ent to the check valve chamber beingex tended through the container for connection with base above the checkvalve, the portion of the pump duct within the'container hav ing a smallair vent aperture near the top of the container cavity.

8. In an internal combustion engine, in

combination with the intake to the cylinder or cylinders and carbureter,a liquid fuel container which supplies the carbureter; a

conduit from the container to the intake, an off-take leading from saidconduit to the carbureter a check valve between the conduit and thecarbureter opening for discharge into the carbureter and adapted to beseated by suction operating in the main pipe line; a check valve in theconduit opening for flow toward the manifold and seated by reverse flowor pressure; an air force pump adapted for suction in the initial partof the retracting stroke; a conduit from the pump connected with thefirst mentioned conduit between said last mentioned check valve and theintake, and a valve in said first mentioned conduit between the pumpconnection herewith and the intake, said valve being adapted to beopened only by discharge pressure produced in the discharge stroke ofthe pump.

9. In an internal combustion engine, the

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at New York city, NewYork, this 10th day of March, 1917.

HENRY KOCOUREK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

